PTI prohibited funding verdict: Govt mulls over three legal options

ISLAMABAD: The coalition government has started mulling over three legal options against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced its verdict in the prohibited funding case, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Sources told ARY News that the coalition government received the ECP verdict regarding the PTI prohibited funding case which was sent to the interior and law ministries. The government started consultations for the enforcement of the decision came against the PTI.

Sources said that the federal ministers held consultations with the constitutional and legal experts besides mulling over three legal options including the filing of a reference to the Supreme Court (SC) under Article (3)17, declaring PTI a foreign funded political party and moving the top court for action on Imran Khan’s affidavit.

READ: PROHIBITED FUNDING CASE: ECP DECLARES LOCAL COMPANY AS FOREIGN FIRM

It was learnt that the government is expected to approach the top court on the basis of the election commission’s recent verdict. The government may also seek the constitution of a full bench by the Supreme Court (SC).

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday announced the much-awaited verdict in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prohibited funding case.

The ECP bench in its reserved verdict said prohibited funding against PTI has been proven.

READ: ECP MOVED FOR LIFETIME DISQUALIFICATION OF IMRAN KHAN

ECP, in its unanimous verdict, ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and from 34 foreign nationals.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, comprising Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi announced the reserved verdict.

The ECP also said that former prime minister Imran Khan submitted misdeclaration in the PTI prohibited funding case. The electoral watchdog also decided to issue a show-cause notice to the PTI to explain why the commission should not seize the funds it received.